malazanfandomcom-20200222-history
Saeng
Saeng was a priestess of Light, as were her ancestors, who came from a small town on the outskirts of the Kingdom of the Thaumaturgs.Blood and Bone, Prologue, UK MMPB, p.17-25 She learned about her powers through the Nak-ta around her village and had a heart-shaped face.Blood and Bone, Epilogue, UK MMPB, p.838 In Blood and Bone Refugees started passing through the small village where Saeng lived, still unmarried unlike the others her age, trying to escape being impressed into the Thaumaturg army which was passing through the area. Hanu, her brother who had previously been conscripted, deserted and returned to their village to hold to his vow to protect her. He warned her that the Thaumaturgs would kill her as a suspected witch. This was done through sign language and, later, telepathic communication, a link Saeng formed between them as he could no longer speak, having been changed into a yakshaka warrior.Blood and Bone, Chapter 1, UK MMPB, p.43-50 His presence also posed a risk, as she knew that the Thaumaturgs would attempt to get him back, so she suggested they travel North to avoid the army before returning to their village. While roaming through the jungle they came across a village which Saeng entered while Hanu remained outside. The village had been overrun by bandits, lead by the Bandit Lord Kenjak Ashevajak, who captured Saeng.Blood and Bone, Chapter 2, UK MMPB, p.104-112 When she recognised his name she was asked to repeat to him the stories she'd heard about him over dinner, but instead made a prediction about Jak's death. In the process she accidentally summoned Nak-ta spirits which facilitated her escape from the village before Hanu retrieved her. Before returning to their own village, Citravaghra, the leopard-man, visited Saeng in her dreams giving warning of an imminent catastrophe before showing her a vision where a Thaumaturg brought down the "Jade Banner".Blood and Bone, Chapter 3, UK MMPB, p.169-174 When they returned to their village they found that the Thaumaturgs had ransacked it, taking supplies and all of the younger people, though their mother, Janath, was still well so they moved on to find the temple that her mother had insisted she visit and which Citravaghra had shown her.Blood and Bone, Chapter 3, UK MMPB, p.174-179 Travelling across the Gangrek Mounts, Hanu fell through a pitfall into a cavern, knocking himself unconscious, causing Saeng to follow him down. When she found him, the water level was quickly rising, as the constant rain from the jungle above made its way below to form a subterranean river which she used to move him. They travelled until it opened out into the jungle where they fell from a waterfall leaving Saeng unconscious.Blood and Bone, Chapter 4, UK MMPB, p.231-244 When she awoke in the Himatan, Hanu was still injured. Saeng met Ripan and then Old Man Moon, who helped move Hanu to their hut before she struck a bargain with Moon to heal him. For her side of the deal she tattooed Moon, a ritual that used her powers, while he told her his history and, towards the end, that the temple she sought was further within the Himatan.Blood and Bone, Chapter 6, UK MMPB, p.303-316 After Saeng and Hanu had travelled some distance further into the jungle, they reached a large river which they could not cross. As they were having a discussion, they were interrupted by Varakapi, the man-ape, who attacked them, first striking Hanu before provoking Saeng into using her powers.Blood and Bone, Chapter 8, UK MMPB, p.451-468 He did this as a means of testing her, as the jungle had many dangerous inhabitants, saying that Citravaghra must have taught her nothing and stating that "begging won't serve". Saeng knocked him about with her power before beginning to question him, he warned her that change was coming, however Varakapi slipped away when she was distracted, before she got complete answers. They found a Thaumaturg - exiled and cursed to be insane - halfway across the bridge, who led them to a phantom village where a feast was under way to honour Kallor. Everything looked outdated and the food was insubstantial. The insane Thaumaturg called the Green Banner the "judgement of Kallor", implying that his argument against its summoning was the reason for his banishment from the order. He told them that 'what comes to pass returns again' and stated that it would fall that night. Saeng then witnessed the fall of the Green Banner before passing out. Saeng was captured by Jak's bandit troupe, who also had Pon-lor in their custody. Jak threatened to kill Saeng if Hanu attacked them.Blood and Bone, Chapter 9, UK MMPB, p.519-530 When she awoke, Saeng scorned Jak and tried to convince the bandits to kill Pon-lor, now aware that the Thaumaturgs were attempting to harness the Visitor again. The bandits were attacked by a group of locals, whom Saeng attempted to hold off with her power. She was hit by a poisoned arrow in her thigh and taken away by Hanu. She awoke captured again, this time by Pon-lor, who had cured her of the poison and bandaged her wounds.Blood and Bone, Chapter 10, UK MMPB, p.534-542 He attempted to convince her to come to Anditi Pura with him, first to 'heal' Hanu, then to learn, but she scorned their institution and in turn tried to convince him to help her find the Temple of Light. With no leads however, Pon-lor argued, so Saeng and Hanu attempted to leave. Pon-lor tried to command Hanu to stop, which worked momentarily before he resisted - choking Pon-lor until Saeng made him stop. Saeng and Hanu departed while Pon-lor was still unconscious. Still weakened by her wound, Saeng's condition continued to deteriorate despite Hanu carrying her rather than letting her walk herself, culminating in (yet again) her loss of consciousness.Blood and Bone, Chapter 13, UK MMPB, p.721-732 This time she awoke in the hut of a local 'magus', Chinawa, whose wives treated her. Chinawa ruled the local village through fear, claiming to stave off the wild men in the mountains and, recently, to have kept Hanu's anger at bay. He tried to coerce Saeng into becoming one of his wives, saying that if she had Hanu kill him, the villagers would be killed by the wild men. The Nak-ta Noor appeared causing Cinawa to flee. Noor revealed that she had been killed by Chinawa, not the wild men, and that Saeng was the High Priestess. Upon Chinawa's return, Saeng told the villagers of his deception. She learned from Chinawa how to find the temple and left him to the mercy of his village. Saeng reached the Temple of Light to find that the Thaumaturgs had arrived first. She was beset again by the bandits, who gravely injured Hanu, however Pon-lor appeared and killed the bandits, then promised to heal Hanu and hold off the Circle of Masters as long as he could.Blood and Bone, Chapter 14, UK MMPB, p.758-769 She set out to control the ritual and prevent the Thaumaturgs from using the Temple's power, succeeding yet almost succumbing to the power. She was saved from it by Hanu who then took her out of the collapsing structure.Blood and Bone, Chapter 15, UK MMPB, p.782-787 When she regained consciousness Saeng had recovered physically. She found the corpse of her brother and later, what remained of the mentally broken Pon-lor.Blood and Bone, Chapter 15, UK MMPB, p.805-807/818-821 She summoned Old Man Moon and asked him to heal Pon-lor, which was done for the continuation of the tattoo she had worked on for Hanu previously. Together she and Pon-lor returned to the Thaumaturg lands, where she would begin to build her religion. Notes and references Category:Humans Category:Females Category:High Mages Category:Priests and acolytes Category:Jacuruku natives